Clear Lake Regional Medical Center offers milk bank donation site

Clear Lake Regional Medical Center is now a breast milk bank donation site

Clear Lake Regional Medical Center is now a milk bank donation site, giving lactating mothers a new, convenient drop-off location for their donations of much-needed breast milk.

The milk depot is serviced by the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin. Women who are currently breastfeeding infants younger than 1 year old are eligible to be screened at no charge to become breast milk donors.

One of the largest suppliers of donor human milk to hospitals across Texas and in 14 states, the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin fills prescriptions written by physicians for the most fragile babies who need the life-giving and sustaining nutrition of donated human milk to thrive.

Although any woman can donate her breast milk regardless of where she lives, the new milk depot inside the lactation office at Clear Lake Regional Medical Center will make it easier for all donors throughout the Bay Area Houston region to donate this scarce resource can have a life-saving impact.

"Our reputation for providing safe, nutritionally analyzed and labeled donor human milk to hospitals and outpatients has led to tremendous growth in demand," said Kim Updegrove, executive director of the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin. "By partnering with Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, we will raise our awareness with breastfeeding women who are uniquely qualified to help save the lives of premature and critically ill babies."

Nonprofit milk banks like MMBA ensure donor human milk is safe and available to the infants who need it most. The pasteurized breast milk is processed to meet the specific needs of fragile and sick babies, serving babies with the greatest medical needs regardless of a family's ability to pay.

The Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin needs donors to meet the expected demand for this year.

Breastfeeding and lactating women in Clear Lake and greater Houston interested in donating their milk can call 877-813-6455 to begin the screening process.

Clear Lake Regional Medical Center is at 500 Medical Center Blvd.

Breast milk donations are accepted from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend drop-offs are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, call 281-338-3398.